Warriors: Power of Three 01 - The Sight Read Free Page B

ask him if we were doing battle training after sunhigh.”
    Jealousy gnawed harder in Jaykit’s belly. Why can’t I be an apprentice now?
    â€œYou must be really good at hunting.” Lionkit sighed, clearly thinking the same thing.
    â€œIt’s just practice,” Berrypaw told them. “Look.” He crouched down. “This is how you begin.”
    Lionkit’s belly swished against the ground as he tried to copy Berrypaw.
    â€œGet your tail down!” Berrypaw ordered. “It’s sticking up like a bluebell!”
    Lionkit’s tail slapped against the frozen earth.
    â€œNow pull yourself forward, smooth as a snake,” Berrypaw commanded.
    â€œYou look like you’ve got wind!” Hollykit crowed.
    Lionkit gave a playful hiss and leaped at her, rolling her onto the ground. She fought back, purring with amusementwhile Lionkit pummeled her belly with his hind paws.
    They were so busy in their play fight that they did not notice the sudden noise outside the camp.
    But Jaykit did.
    Cats’ paws were pounding toward the camp entrance. Jaykit recognized the scents of Spiderleg and Thornclaw. The patrol was returning. But something was wrong. The warriors’ paws drummed the forest floor in a panicked rush, their scents bitter with fear.
    Jaykit’s fur stood on end as Spiderleg and Thornclaw burst through the entrance.
    Firestar and Sandstorm were on their paws in an instant.
    â€œWhat is it?” Firestar meowed.
    Spiderleg drew in a deep breath, then announced, “There’s a dead fox on our territory!”

C HAPTER 2
    â€œWhere?” Firestar’s meow was tense.
    â€œBy the Sky Oak,” Thornclaw mewed, panting. “It was killed by a trap.”
    Jaykit heard loose pebbles clattering down the wall of the hollow. Brambleclaw was scrambling down into the camp, followed by Squirrelflight.
    â€œWhat’s happening?” he called.
    â€œThornclaw and Spiderleg have found a dead fox,” Firestar explained. “Killed by a trap.”
    â€œMale or female?”
    â€œFemale,” Spiderleg told her.
    â€œThen there may be cubs,” Brambleclaw growled.
    Jaykit was puzzled. “What harm can a couple of fox cubs do?” he whispered to Hollykit.
    â€œCubs grow up into foxes, mouse-brain!” she hissed back. “An adult fox can kill a cat.”
    â€œThe fox had the scent of milk on her,” Thornclaw reported.
    â€œSo there are definitely cubs,” Firestar concluded.
    The warriors’ den rattled as Ashfur scrambled out.
    â€œWhere was this trap?” Brambleclaw asked. Was that anxiety Jaykit heard in his voice? Surely his father knew enough about the Twolegs’ traps not to be scared by them? No, Jaykit decided, it wasn’t anxiety, but something else, some darker emotion Jaykit did not recognize.
    Thornclaw’s answer broke into his thoughts. “The trap is lakeside of the camp, not far from the Sky Oak.”
    â€œThe cubs must be near,” Brambleclaw guessed. “Their mother will not have wandered far from them.”
    â€œWhat should we do?” Ferncloud had emerged from the nursery. “We can’t let the forest be overrun by foxes! What about my kits?”
    â€œWe must find the den,” Brambleclaw replied without hesitation.
    â€œIf the cubs are very young, they’ll starve without their mother,” Firestar meowed. “It would be best to kill them quickly.”
    There was nothing malicious in the ThunderClan leader’s voice; Firestar had to do what was best for the Clan.
    â€œWhat if they’re old enough to survive alone?” Hollykit asked curiously.
    â€œThen they must be driven out,” Firestar told her. “They can’t be allowed to settle in our territory.”
    â€œThe cubs will be hungry by now,” Ashfur pointed out. “What if they’ve ventured out of their den already?”
    â€œThey might find the camp!”